My 2 Cents: Let's keep shaking on it

Published: Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013 1:33 a.m. CST

Caption

(Michael Krabbenhoeft/mkrabbenhoeft@saukvalley.com)

Dixon's Troy Alsburg (left) and Sterling's Tony Diaz get their feet tangled and trip during the Golden Warriors' 4-0 victory Thursday at Roscoe Eades Stadium. Despite the teams' rivalry and the physical component of play, the players shook hands afterward. Said post-game pleasantries will no longer be exchanged in Kentucky, as of this week.

BY DAN WOESSNER
dwoessner@saukvalley.com
800-798-4085, ext. 555

The soccer match at Roscoe Eades Stadium concluded Thursday and, without provocation, players from Dixon and Sterling started to line up, facing each other.

It’s a scene that happens a thousand times a night on fields and in gyms across the state.

When Dixon coach Mahmoud Etemadi found Sterling assistant coach Gabe Ocampo, the two embraced. Sterling player Tony Diaz limped past holding an ice bag from a minor injury incurred during the match, and Etemadi reached out to ask him if he was OK.

Later, Etemadi took time to talk to Ocampo’s twin sons – Pedro and Salomon – both former Warrior stars.

The process of the match being over was as friendly as the match itself had been competitive.

Once the match was over, so were any hard feelings.

I guess that’s the difference between Illinois and Kentucky.

Earlier this week, the Kentucky High School Association announced it was banning postgame handshakes.

You read that right.

The association noted more than 20 incidents of fighting over the last 3 years during the postgame handshakes.

Wow.

Now, I’ve covered several hundred games and matches over the last 9 years.

Some of those games had a darker tenor than the one Thursday at Roscoe Eades Stadium, but I can’t think of a single postgame where punches were thrown.

That’s not to say that all the greetings were amiable or heartfelt, but that’s beside the point.